Bible Study With The Bishops: Seeing For Ourselves

Reading Plan Text for June 27: John 20:1-10

Mary Magdalene arrives to find an open tomb. She does not look inside but runs immediately to Peter and the Disciple "whom Jesus loved," telling them that "they" have taken Jesus' body. There are two "theys" who would have done this, and possibly three. The first they that this little group would have thought of was the Jewish religious leaders. The second would be grave robbers. The third possible "they" was the Roman officials, perhaps Pilate tweaking the noses of the Jewish leaders.

The two men race--literally--to the tomb. The Beloved Disciple arrives first. Burridge reminds us that if this individual is the witness writing, or telling, this Gospel, the he is quite a bit younger than Peter. However, when he arrives, he waits respectfully just outside the tomb waiting for Peter. Peter enters first and sees the empty linen wrappings. The Beloved Disciple follows, sees the wrappings and believes. The possibility that there is no "they" begins to dawn on the Disciples. But neither Disciple really understands, and they return to their homes leaving Mary at the tomb.

Some theories claim that Mary Magdalene was the Beloved Disciple. Clearly, according to John, that is not the case. These theorists will go on to claim that because she was a woman, the writer of the gospel created another male disciple to fill that role. That seems far fetched given the role Mary Magdalene plays in the resurrection stories of all four gospels. Nor does John show the other disciples disbelieving Mary's story. I don't think John is telling us that Peter and the Beloved Disciple disbelieve Mary. A disaster has happened. Mary has gone to the most obvious people to inform. Their teacher's body has been stolen. The human need to see the scene of the crime, so to speak, kicks in, and the two men race to the empty tomb.

Peter and the Beloved Disciple did what most of us would have done. We all have the need to see for ourselves. Over two thousand years later, we still have to rely on their reports as recorded by those who heard it second, third, fourth, and even fifth hand.

And we still wish we could see it for ourselves.

Peace,
Jeffri